Due to the increasing demand for higher power semiconductor components, inefficient heat dissipation from the semiconductor chip as well as the package is an increasing problem. Poor heat dissipation can lead to instability of the semiconductor device and limit its functionality. In order to improve the heat dissipation from a semiconductor component, it is known to mount an additional heat dissipater on the outer surface of the semiconductor package or even directly on the semiconductor chip itself. The heat dissipater can have the form of a metal plate. Additionally, the heat dissipater may include a plurality of outwardly extending fins in order to increase the surface area and further improve heat dissipation.
Lateral semiconductor devices have an active side, which includes integrated circuit devices and associated contact surfaces, and a passive rear side which does not include integrated circuit devices. Consequently, the passive rear side does not have to be electrically accessed. Therefore, in these types of semiconductor devices, it is simple to mount a heat dissipater directly on the passive rear surface of the semiconductor device.
However, it is complicated to mount a heat dissipater on vertical semiconductor power devices such as MOSFETs. In vertical semiconductor devices, the upper side as well as the opposing lower side of the semiconductor device provides a contact electrode. Therefore, an electrical contact is to be made between the upper side and an external circuit carrier such as a printed circuit board as well as the lower side of the device and the external circuit carrier. Consequently, vertical semiconductor devices do not have a rear side onto which a heat dissipater can be easily mounted in a similar fashion to lateral semiconductor devices.
It is, therefore, desirable to provide a semiconductor component which is suitable for vertical semiconductor power devices and which can simply and reliably accommodate an additional heat dissipater. It is also desirable that such a semiconductor component can be simply and cost-effectively assembled.
For these and other reasons there is a need for the present invention.